Augustin Firebrand
Augustin D'Anders, known better by the epithets Firebrand and occasionally Dog, is a baron of Anders and son of the current Count of Anders, Clais the Short. Augustin is recognized for his service during the War of the Lost Prince in service of the House of Merovia, in which he repulsed the House of Hohenz and defeated them at the Battle of Graustable. Augustin Firebrand was given his childhood sobriquet "Dog" because of his heterochromia: his right eye is dark brown, and his left eye is Illyrian grey. Among other reasons, Augustin was treated poorly among his peers for this defect. Among the youngest distinguished Illyrian generals in history, especially those from lower Illyria, Augustin is currently serving a debtor's sentence at Montesoro in Boidone, paying off a substantial debt to an Auber king for his purchase of over one thousand prized fire-arms. Early life and education Augustin descends from two notable branches of Illyrian heritage, his father Count Clais being Pure stock of Joliessa and his mother being Pristine stock of Malloraine. Augustin was born in Montesero, a fourth child and third son. A boy and girl were born first but died in infancy. He has an elder brother, Robenierre, and younger siblings Lucien, Elisa, Louis, Pauline, Caroline, and Jean-Bumont. Augustin's father spent most of Augustin's early life in Prace regarding matters of the Pontifect, attempting to ensure that newly acquired Niocletian rule was not abused as a part of an Illyrian initiative in maintaining some semblance of control over the process. The dominant influence of Augustin's childhood was his mother, whose firm discipline made Augustin a calculated, curious man. Augustin's paternal grandmother married into the House of Mandolin in her second marriage. In addition, his paternal uncle Joseph of Anders would fulfill a role as protector of both Anders and their family for some years as a cardinal in the Papet. Augustin's noble, affluent background and claim to the House of Malloraine afforded him greater opportunities to study than were available to a typical of Anders nobility. When he turned 9 years old, he moved to Illyria Proper and enrolled at the university of Wagstaff-and-Buford in January CE 978. In May, he transferred with a scholarship to a military academy in Lindemith, Seventh Lake. In his youth, he was an outspoken nationalist and believer in the separation of Illyria Proper and Lower Illyria. Augustin learned not only Illyrian Common, but also written and vernacular Dwarvish, Ascani Common, Nazari Common, Auberian Common, and Undercommon. Although he became fluent in all of these languages, he spoke with a distinctive Anders accent and never learned how to speak with received pronunciation. Augustin was routinely bullied by his peers for his accent, birthplace, short stature, mannerisms, difficulty in learning his Written Dwarvish, and especially for his "bewitched" eye that earned him the name Dog. Augustin became reserved and melancholy applying himself to reading. An examiner, Jean-Louis Lorraine of House Merovia, observed of Augustin: This boy has always been distinguished for his application in mathematics, physics, and rhetoric ... He is fairly well acquainted with history and geography ... This boy would make an excellent sailor, and a better logistician. In late adolescence, he briefly intended to become a writer; he authored a history of Anders and a romantic novella. On completion of his studies at Seventh Lake in CE 983, one year early, Augustin was admitted to the Collegiate Military Academy of Lindemith. He trained to become a "lieutenant general," and was forced to complete the two-year course in one year due to the onset of the War of the Lost Prince. He was the first ever noble of Anders to graduate from an academy of Lindemith. Military service July CE 984 Augustin joined the Illyrian army and was knighted preemptively as a part of an attempt to fulfill the demands of Duessel to field three hundred knights to secure Cantabria. Around this time, Augustin also joined the Knights Invictus. Augustin rubbed elbows with other sworn knights, many of whom were high nobility in Illyria, who all liked "Dog" for his tenacity, strategy, and intellect. Augustin was given command of a small force to prevent a siege of Schwartzet by the House of Hohenz. Augustin's force numbered only one thousand, and with reports of a Hohenzian army of some 15,000 men at the city in Cantabria, Augustin harried an envoy to ride to White Harbor. Here, he met with King Tuyuluk, the Auber ruler of the Arcadian marches, and traded his signet ring for one thousand fire-arms on loan. Augustin returned a few days later on 29 July CE 984, behind on time but now with a full cavalry detachment armed with fire-arms, like Jade-blood dragoons from the War of the Dragons. Augustin believed that this outfit would help him drive off Hohenzian ambitions in Cantabria ''with more certainty, though they were running out of time. Schwartzet was now being besieged by Hohenzian forces. What happened over the next few days is unclear. Augustin claims he had to reroute due to heavy rains and circled Schwarzet, not arriving in time to stop the city from being razed. However, conflicting stories arise from his band of cavalry. The most corroborated story is the following: Augustin came upon a young girl who he decided to evacuate from the area himself; he had his cavalry ride to Schwarzet without him, and he would rendezvous with them in a day's time. The force arrived outside of the city, but Augustin did not arrive; they waited for him, and by the time he arrived, the city was being razed. Augustin ordered his cavalry to focus on rescuing the people of Schwartzet and consider driving off Hohenzian men a secondary goal. Because of this decision, Augustin saved hundreds of people during the attack. Under the direction of Duke Fvelvedov, a Hohenzian army 10,000 strong split off and headed for Graustable, the capitol and over a hundred miles away. The contingent designed to defeat the Duke's army, under direction of Duessel's largest army, was crushed at the Battle of the Braun on the border of ''Velusia and Cantabria. A routed man-at-arms informed Augustin a day after the attack that the Duke was headed for Graustable with no resistance, and had rolled over Duessel's veteran force of 14,000. After escorting the survivors of Schwartzet, Augustin had his cavalry ride for six hours straight to meet the Duke outside of Graustable. At the Battle of Graustable on 2 August CE 984, Augustin's pseudo-dragoons, whom he called his "Dog Soldiers," lined up west of the city and opened fire on the advancing Hohenzian army. The surprise attack, as well as the confusion from the outfit, drove off Hohenzian forces and resulted in one of the most legendary Illyrian victories of all time, a decisive victory at 10:1. Augustin was given the title of Firebrand, his victory referred to by General Jean-Paitonne as "Olivian in nature." August CE 984 - March CE 985 Augustin was recalled to Certusa, and the young commander was named General and given the Silver Olive Branch for his victory. However, his failure to save Schwartzet resulted in the House of Merovia refusing to help him pay back King Tuyuluk. Augustin also did not have funds nor his ring to acquire more munitions, and was forced to sell off the fire-arms at a large discount back to King Tuyuluk. By 8 August CE 984, Augustin was given orders to hold the Velusian border and an additional two hundred knights. Augustin did as he was asked, but also found ways to pay off his debt to King Tuyuluk. Augustin and his Dog Soldiers offered passage to merchant caravans moving through Cantabria, helping to ensure the trade-dependent region did not starve during the war. However, they also demanded exhorbitant fees for their services. It's estimated the Dog Soldiers each earned between one hundred and one hundred fifty gold marks between 15 August CE 984 and 1 March CE 985, when they were recalled from the Velusian border for their behavior. After the incident, the Dog Soldiers were ordered to pay a fine of fifty gold marks, and Augustin appeared before a tribunal. Though he was found guilty of brigandry, General Jean-Paittone gave him a light sentence and ordered his debt to society be carried out from his estate in Boidone, and in lieu of hard labor, asked to draft sailing vessels for Duessel's navy. Interval between conflicts Augustin was ordered to serve seven years as a drafting clerk for the House of Merovia, and currently resides in Montesoro as a debtor slave with priveleges, in recognition of his outstanding service and his overall value to Illyria. A number of Cantabrian knights, called the Knights of the Dog, also reside in Montesoro. These knights offer protection and courier service to Augustin, in exchange for his insight regarding tactics and in dutiful recognition of his service for Cantabria. Category:Characters Category:Illyrians Category:Famous strategists